Want some inspiration for daily yoga? Helen Krag suggests some Hatha Yoga poses and classes to change up your regular practice.

“If you practise yoga once a week you will change your mind. If you practise twice a week, you will change your body. If you practise every day, you will change your life.” 

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This quote often pops up on websites. I can’t find the source, nor any evidence that what it says is true. It seems to me, though, that the benefits of doing anything that is ‘good for me’ usually arise from doing that thing regularly! 

There are myriad ways to approach a regular yoga asana practice. For example, it may be a flow / sequence that you do each day. Hatha Yoga embraces physical yoga postures and breathing techniques to prepare the body for meditation. It is commonly known for having an emphasis on steadiness, so expect more static poses and longer yoga pose holds.  

The slower pace of Hatha classes makes them suitable for beginners. However, Hatha is the basis for other styles of yoga such as Ashtanga, vinyasa flow, and restorative yoga and there is plenty here to suit all levels of practitioner!  

HATHA YOGA POSES – 7 DAILY CLASSES 

One class for each day of the week! These feature Hatha yoga poses that span the different categories of poses (see below). You can choose which class to do each day! 

Transformation Through Tapas with Kristin Campbell. A strong and uplifting sequence that explores the spectrum of Hatha yoga poses including back arches, balances, and twists. 

Yoga to Calm and Ground with Margi Young. A great class for when we are feeling tired or overwhelmed. It includes standing and balancing poses to root and ground us, plus supported forward folds to clear the brain.  

Hatha Yoga to Feel Strong and Empowered with Clive Fogelman. Want to feel enlivened and empowered? This might be the class for you today with poses that will help kick-start your motivation. 

Work Break to Invigorate with Carlene Bogues. A gentle Hatha class that features poses to help with the wrists, back, neck and shoulders. The perfect antidote to being seated at a desk working on a computer! 

Ease into Your Day with Lucy McCarthy. Although this class works well in the morning, the combination of supine hip openers, standing and balancing poses make it suitable for any time of day. Close with a calming Savasana (Corpse Pose) 

Yoga for Back Care: Building Strength with Sally Parkes. For those days we are feeling ‘niggles’ in our body, we may choose a sequence that focuses on mobilising and building strength in a specific area of the body. This class is perfect for back care.

Slow Flow for Discipline with Adam Hocke. This all-round vinyasa class invites you to explore the intensity with which you practise. How much should you push, and when is it best to back off?

CATEGORIES OF HATHA YOGA POSES  

Another option for daily practice is to select a handful of poses each day and work with them on them on the mat. Remember to notice the effects on the body and mind. Choose Hatha yoga poses from the different groups of poses. These Yoga Pose Tutorials will help you refine your alignment. 

Standing Hatha Yoga Poses

Standing poses such as Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) and Anjanayasana (Crescent Lunge).

In this tutorial, Tadasana: The Blueprint Pose with Kristen Campbell, discover one of the most important poses in yoga.

Trikonasana Tutorial with Andrew McGonigle takes you step-by-step into triangle pose.

Balances

Balances such as Vrksasana (Tree Pose), Garudasana (Eagle Pose) and Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose).

Eagle Pose Tutorial shows how to develop focus, build core strength and find balance through this fantastic asana.

Back Bends

Back arches such as Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) and Ustrasana (Camel Pose). 

Check out Camel Pose Tutorial for a detailed walk-through of this expansive pose.

Forward Folds

Inversions

Twists

Abdominal Postures

Linking Postures

Restorative

So, ‘class-based’ or a ‘pose-based’ approach? Where will you start to change up your regular practice of Hatha yoga poses? 

Author: Helen Krag. Helen is a health and wellness enthusiast; observer of human behavioural change; yoga teacher trainee; passionate traveller; and lover of the outdoors.